The seduction of your eyes and mind aka Cinequest Film Festival

Sweet suburban San Jose has another secret besides Silicon Valley and all the tech crap we all know about, it’s a RAD film festival that is held every year by Cinequest. This is not just your wannabe little festival that has a bunch of strange artsy films that nobody gets but gives it kudos because it’s a local festival; this has real juiciness to it, with noteworthy films dealing with multiple genre’s, amazing work to indulge your mind & spirit from all over the globe and of course, the Maverick Spirit Award! Not only does it bear all those goodies, it was also voted BEST film festival by USA Today readers! Cinequest’s film festival will be held March 1-13, 2016, in downtown San Jose. Films are not rated, so you must watch the films at your own discretion. (Click on links for showtimes, events and tickets.) Festival attendee’s will also be treated to a new cinematic experience called Barco Escape Screenings, which is a panoramic tri-screen that will bring endless possibilities to filmmakers in the years to come!

I was allowed to pre-screen a some films that are on the roster for the festival in 2016. Here is one of my five favorite pre-screened films. (More to come under separate post.)

We Go On, Clark Freeman (Yellowbrickroad), Annette O’Toole (Smallville), and John Glover (The Good Wife) star in the chilling thriller about a man trying to come to terms with his fears by finding proof of life after death. But just how far is too far to know the truth? Country: United States.

In a nutshell: The film is basically about a young man who lives life in fear, trying to figure out if there really is life after death. He meets a few interesting individuals and goes through some wild experiences while being emotionally supported by his mother. You need to watch to see what the outcome is…

I really enjoyed this film and I hope you get a chance to watch it at the film festival on March 5 at 9:30| March 6 at 1:30|March 12 at Midnight (all at C12)

A few of the films that I am really looking forward to seeing this year at the festival are:

Latin Films

Ma Ma | Spain: Academy Award Winner Penelope Cruz is Magda, a strong and passionate woman and mother, battling breast cancer. After meeting Arturo, who soon receives his own devastating news, Magda is filled with renewed life. Through their individual tragedies, Magda and Arturo forge a powerful bond to guide them on their journey.

Parabellum | Argentina: When news of the impending end of the world arrives, a group of housewives, professionals, and middle class workers retreat to the jungle to prepare. What appears to be quiet and normal resort living turns out to be far stranger and darker than it seems.

Bay Area Films

REMEMBER ME – World Premiere
The enchanting Rita Moreno (West Side Story) gives a sparkling comedic performance in the story of two self-involved cousins embarking on a road trip with their grandmother after her husband suddenly dies. Heartwarming and riotously funny, Remember Me is on point about what it means to really live.
Director: Steve Goldbloom

THE NIGHT THE MOON FELL (Short film)
A short animated film about a curious boy who finds the moon.
Director: John Bashyam

SISTER STALKING – World Premiere (Short film)
An incestuous stalking tale of a long lost brother who had been rejected by his family and finds his sister after a long separation, leading her into unexpected and sometimes frightening events as he tries to reconstruct what “home” means to him.
Director: Kimy Martinez

FOR SALE – World Premiere (Short film)

The death of their infant leads to the demise of a couple’s relationship.

Director: Antonio Kieschnick

World Films

ORLEANS
On the brink of nowhere, a great evil has arrived…and he wants to uncover the skeletons in everyone’s closet. A combination of mystic thriller and dark comedy, Orleans forms a modern parable, merging the mundane with the grotesque in a fantastical and exotic world. (Director: Andrey Proshkin) (Russia) Genre: Thriller, Comedy

BROTHER
When a man chooses to impersonate his deceased brother in a plot to exploit a woman for her money, he realizes that he may not be the only one with sinister designs. A visually arresting psychological thriller that weaves a tapestry of lies. (Director: Geoffrey Enthoven) (Belgium, Ireland) Genre: Drama

DEMIMONDE
In a world filled with sex, violence, and intrigue, a complicated relationship among three women can only lead to one thing: murder. (Director: Attila Szász) (Hungary) Genre: Drama, Mystery.

STAYING ALIVE
A comedy for the modern woman: Marianne didn’t realize how liberating life could be until her husband cheats on her with a younger woman, and she finds that life might not be so bad without him. (Director: Charlotte Blom) (Norway) Genre: Comedy

THE DAUGHTER – Closing Night Film
Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush (Shine), Ewen Leslie (Sleeping Beauty), Paul Schneider (Parks and Recreation), Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings), Anna Torv (Fringe), Odessa Young (Wonderland), and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) star in a masterfully crafted story of a man returning home after fifteen years and discovering long-hidden family secrets that cause upheaval in their lives. (Director: Simon Stone) (Australia) Genre: Drama

I hope to see you all there! What are you looking forward to? Please comment below!

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